Best Buys
Smoking bunnies, stoned teddy bears, and dopey frosted donuts are only some of the corrupted innocents found in the twisted, satirical collections of Kidrobot. Founded in 2002 by designer Paul Budnitz, Kidrobot does not sell, as the name might suggest, electronic toys for minors. Instead it features limited-edition street art, collectible toys, and apparel.
Still not interested? The “toys” are designed by artists and graffiti writers including Michael Lau, Frank Kozik, and Tristan Eaton, and have even included collaborations with New York fashion designer Keanan Duffty. These precious objects range in price from $4 to $400, with ample room for value appreciation. The pieces are produced in limited quantity—some less than 500—and are fast becoming collector’s items.
One of our favorites is the Gloomy Bloody Bear, created by famed Japanese artist Mori Chack. In keeping with Kidrobot’s morbid aesthetic, the tiny pink figure is covered in subtle blood splatters. Aggressive, cute, and strangely intimidating and dark, Kidrobot art is peculiar and entirely better for it.
Embrace your inner child while saying adios to your naive adolescent toys. Kidrobot products can be found at its store on 126 Prince St. in SoHo, at Barneys New York, or online at http://www.kidrobot.com. Gloomy bear, $16.95.
With gold and silver gliding down recent runways in the form of metal-plated armor or floor-sweeping aluminum gowns, the term “going for gold” has never seemed more appropriate. But how can you bring a bit of shine and shimmer to a tiny Columbia double?
Target, which recently brought us chic jeans from Paul & Joe designer Sophie Albou and will soon launch resort wear from Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez of Proenza Schouler, might just have the answer. Since 2002, former couture designer Todd Oldham has designed chic items for the megastore, and met the budgets of countless college students.
Among all the technicolor and functional pieces that Oldham designs, one item stands out from the rest: a round vase with a mirrored mosaic surface that looks and sparkles just like a disco ball, but without the messy electrical wires and holes in your ceiling. Oldham also adds a special kick with an electric orange interior.
The vase, accompanied by flowers, can be given as a gift to a stylish friend, making his or her room bling more than a pair of grills from Paul Wall. Or, if you ever feel the urge to groove, try filling the larger vase with candles, turning off the lights, and dancing the night away to Prince, ABBA, and Diana Ross as homage to the vase’s Studio 54 roots—without the Schedule 1 substances and sensationalism, of course.
Vase, small, $39.99; large, $59.99. Available at target.com.